Zilch has raised £135 million in debt and equity funding to accelerate the growth of its consumer payments platform.
Europe’s fastest-growing unicorn has expanded its credit facility with Deutsche Bank after announcing a £100m debt financing deal last year.
Led by KKCG, the equity round includes participation from BNF Capital and several other strategic investors.
Zilch, which recently revealed a doubling of revenues to over £110m as it narrowed losses, offers interest-free buy-now pay-later services funded through advertising. It passed 5m customers, which it connects with thousands of retailers and brands – including the likes of Amazon, eBay, Tesco and Sports Direct – in May this year.
To date, Zilch has processed over £5 billion of commerce.
The latest raise will be used to expand two of its biggest products to date: Intelligent Commerce, an AI-powered platform that transforms live engagement data into real-time insights; and Zilch Pay, set to launch in H1 2026, which will offer a one-click checkout experience.
The firm, launched in 2020, will now also explore strategic M&A opportunities.
“In just five years, we have rewired the relationship between brands and their customers, offering a different way to pay that brings mass benefits to both consumers and merchants,” said Philip Belamant, CEO and co-founder of Zilch.
“This funding reflects strong confidence in our team, strategy and execution, enabling us to continue scaling at pace. Our newly launched products are already driving outsized growth, and with the support of a world-class group of debt and equity investors, we’re well positioned for the next phase of expansion.
“In a market where many have found raising capital difficult, the network and strategic leadership of my co-founder, Sean O’Connor, have been instrumental in helping us achieve this outcome and we are excited for the year ahead.”
Hugh Courtney, CFO, added: “Our ability to attract world-class investors at a time when many remain highly selective in their capital deployment is testament to the strength of the business we are building.
“Future-proof innovation, diversified revenue streams and a highly engaged customer base are all critical factors in our rapid growth and we look forward to working with our shareholders to build on these successes, eliminate high-cost credit and rewire the economics of commerce.”